Barbara Lang/Provided

From left: Dickson Cheng, a student visiting from Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Amy Yerdon, a transfer student from the University of New Hampshire; Frances Huang, a transfer student from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Arts and Sciences student Christopher Mejia; and Alix Daguin from Fordham University enjoy the meal they prepared -- pizza, tossed salad and chocolate-covered sugar cookies.

New transfer students in the Hotel School shared their kitchen skills Jan. 17 at a Transfer Team Cuisine event, making food together while acquainting themselves with the school and one another.

While Hotel School faculty casually wandered in and out of Statler Hall's food labs to introduce themselves, the 22 students made pizzas and salads and decorated cookies for a lunch they then ate.

"It's our second year of doing it for January transfers, for team building and getting them acquainted with one another, and the food is a vehicle to get them to do that," said Barbara Lang, undergraduate adviser in the school's Office of Student Services.

The exercise became a friendly competition, with a small panel of school administrators, faculty and staff "voting on the most appealing pizza," Lang said.

She said she initiated the event after hearing David Harris, vice provost for social sciences and deputy provost of Cornell, speak about a successful diversity program in which students plan and prepare a meal together.